Poetry

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Poetry
Overview
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• Poetry is concentrated thought which focuses
  our attention simultaneously on the combination
  of rhythm and image to express its meaning

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Where Were You Yesterday?
Prose

• Yesterday it rained, and I stood out in it
  hoping by chance that youd just happen to come
  outside. But I knew that if you did come out,
  wed never be like we were before. Maybe its a
  good thing you didnt come out. Besides who comes
  out in the rain anymore just to talk?

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Where Were You Yesterday?
Poetry

• Yesterday it rained
• and I stood out in it
• hoping
• by chance
• that youd just happen to come outside.
• But I knew that if you did come out,
• wed never be like we were before.
• Maybe its a good thing
• you didnt come out.
• Besides
• who comes out in the rain
• anymore
• just to talk?

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Prose Vs. Poetry

• No rhyme
• No pattern/rhythm
• No line division
• Can use images
• Can target emotions
• Divisions are paragraphs

• Rhymed/Unrhymed
• Follows a beat/has rhythm
• Line division
• Uses images to focus on a particular idea
• Targets emotions through use of images
• Divisions are stanzas

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Poetry Vocabulary

• Prose-Opposite of poetry, paragraph form
• Formula poetry -Poems that must follow certain
  guidelines (and, most of the time, a certain
  rhyme scheme) to be classified as a particular
  kind of poem
• Cinquain-Five line poem in which each line
  requires a certain number of syllables (1st
  line-2,
• 2nd line-4, 3rd line-6, 4th line-8, 5th
  line-2)
• Limerick-Funny poem with rhyme scheme of aabba
• Haiku-Japanese nature poem of three unrhymed
  lines (syllables in line 1-5, line 2-7, line 3-5)

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Poetry Vocabulary

• Rhyme Scheme-Pattern made by how poem rhymes at
  the end of a line-letters assigned to lines
  according to end rhyme
• Alliteration-Repetition of the same sounds at the
  beginning of words in a poem (ex. My mom made my
  Monday more magnificent.)
• Onomatopoeia-Words that imitate sounds (ex. pow,
  bang, pop)
• Enjambment-Continuation of a complete thought /
  idea from one line to the next
• Couplet-Pair of lines that are the same length
  and usually rhyme
• Quatrain-Stanza / poem of four lines

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Poetry Vocabulary

• Consonance-Repetition of consonants in a line-not
  at the beginning (ex. Sue was passing Art class.)
• Assonance-Repetition of the same sounds in a line
  (ex. Saul was filled with awe over Mardi Gras.)
• End Rhyme-How poem rhymes at the ends of lines
• Stanza-Lines of poetry that form a division in
  the poem
• Stress-Syllables stand out because they have a
  different pitch or are stronger than other
  syllables
• Accent-Emphasis given to a syllable or word shown
  by a small mark above stressed syllable

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Poetry Vocabulary

• Meter-Arrangement of a line of poetry by the
  rhythm of stressed and unstressed syllables
• Idiom-Words are not meant to be taken word for
  word (ex. You are pulling my leg.)
• Literal -Words are meant to be taken word for
  word
• Tone-Emotion or feelings author felt or wants
  audience to feel while reading poem (aka mood)
• Figurative Language -Expressions used to create
  memorable poems (ex. idioms, alliteration,
  onomatopoeia)

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I Cant Write a Poem poem

• Forget it.
• You must be kidding.
• Im still half asleep.
• My eyes keep closing.
• My brain isnt working.
• I dont have a pencil.
• I dont have any paper.
• My desk is wobbly.
• I dont know what to write about.
• And besides, I dont even know how to write a
  poem.
• Ive got a headache. I need to see the nurse.
• Times up? Uh oh!
• All I have is this dumb list of excuses.
• You like it? Really? No kidding.
• Thanks a lot.
• Would you like to see another one.
• -Bruce Lansky

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Kidnapped
And drove for 20 miles or At least for 20
minutes, and then Dragged me from the car down
to Some cold and moldy basement, Where they stuck
me in a corner And went off to get the
ransom Leaving one of them to guard me With a
shotgun pointed at me, Tied up sitting on a
stool Thats why Im late for school!

• This morning I got kidnapped
• By three masked men.
• They stopped me on the sidewalk,
• And offered me some candy,
• And when I wouldnt take it
• They grabbed me by the collar,
• And pinned my arms behind me,
• And shoved me in the backseat
• Of this big black limousine and
• Tied my hands behind my back
• With sharp and rusty wire.
• Then they put a blindfold on my
• So I couldnt see where they took me,
• And plugged up my ears with cotton
• So I couldnt hear their voices.

-Shel Silverstein
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Irritating Sayings
For the five hundredth time Dont let me ever see
you do that again Have you made your bed? Cant
you look further than your nose? No more lip Have
you done your homework? Because I say so Dont
come with those fancy ways here Any more and
youll be in bed My, havent you grown Some day I
wont be here, then youll see A chairs for
sitting on You shouldnt need telling at your
age Want, want, want, thats all you ever say

• Isnt it about time you thought about bed?
• It must be somewhere
• You speak to him Harold, he wont listen to me.
• Who do you think I am?
• Youd better ask your father
• Its late enough as it is
• Dont eat with your mouth open.
• In this day and age
• Did anybody ask your opinion
• I remember when I was a boy
• And after all we do for you
• Youre not talking to your school friends now,
• you know
• Why dont you do it the proper way
• Im only trying to tell you
• What did I just say?
• Now, wrap up warm
• B-E-D spells bed
• Sit up straight and dont gobble your food

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Rhyme Scheme

• Pattern of rhyme in a stanza or poem. You can
  identify the rhyme scheme in stanzas by looking
  at the last word in the line and assigning
  letters to the rhyming words
• Example
• Like the sun behind the clouds A
• Like the darkness of the night B
• Like the grass beneath the trees C
• You stepped into the light B

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Rhyme Scheme Practice

• 1.
• I knew Id have to grow up sometime, ______
• That my childhood memories would end, ______
• But a spark within me died, ______
• When I lost my imaginary friend. ______
• 2.
• As the sun set and the moon came, ______
• I looked out the window in dread and shame.
  ______
• The sound of birds rose from the sky, ______
• I waved my hand and bid goodbye. ______

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Rhyme Scheme Practice

• 3.
• When I look into his eyes, ______
• I see the deep blue sea. ______
• I hope my love never dies, ______
• That hell always be there for me. ______
• 4.
• And here ends the saga ______
• Of writers who have grown. ______
• Were successful authors, ______
• Now we will be unknown. ______

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Write Small / Focused

• Small/focused image
• Licking the pink frosting off the ends of the
  candles
• Strobe lights flickering over laughing faces as
  the beat pounds on
• A mountain of childrens shoes

• Big/unfocused image
• Birthday parties are fun.
• School dances are strange.
• The holocaust was inhuman.

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Now, you turn these big images into small images.

• His car was a mess.
• The food did not look good.
• The dog was mean.
• Her shoes did not fit.

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Image Practice

• Directions Read each sentence. Write your
• response for each question by giving as many
• descriptions as possible.
• How would you describe how you feel when you are
  angry?
• Describe how you feel after winning a game.
• Describe the odor of rotting garbage.
• Describe the scent left after a rainfall.
• Describe the feeling of walking on hot sand on
  the beach.

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Mood/Voice
Request to a Minstrel

• Sing unto me a song of seasons
• Of death, rebirth, and happiness.
• Sing unto me a song of reasons
• Staid thoughts and deepest contemplations.
• Sing unto me a song of sorrows
• Quiet longing and dark despair.
• Then, sing unto me a song of tomorrows
• Of joy and laughter
• Tarry longest there.

-Andrea Cox
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Mood/Voice
Like, Am I Noticed
I sort of casually walked Down the street You
know To the corner This group of Like Kind of
like cool kids were Sort of there I like slipped
by in Kind of like a Cool manner I sort of
wondered Like If they noticed me

• I kind of got my hands on
• One of those slick
• Leather jackets
• And a mean sort of
• Cool brown hat
• I was just
• Kind of
• Walking down the street
• Sort of
• Minding my business
• I felt like
• You know, this
• Urge to be noticed,
• Kind of

I kind of turned around Only to find them
like Laughing at me I was Sort of like Really
embarrassed kind of I kind of, like You know Went
home
Mike Gelanger
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Cinquain Poem

• A five-line poem with a set number of syllables
  for each line. Each line adds an additional
  image to the subject of the poem
• Formula poem

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Cinquain Formula

• Line 1 2 syllables Subject
• Line 2 4 syllables Description of subject
• Line 3 6 syllables Describes an action
• Line 4 8 syllables Expresses a feeling
• Line 5 2 syllables Another word for
  subject
• Example
• Summer
• Fruits, ice cream, fun
• Swimming, playing, laughing
• No homework, only sun, I smile
• Three months

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Simile PoemPrejudice

• Prejudice is like the feeling you get
• When youre left out of a game
• It is like the music of
• A seashell hollow and distant
• Its when you never reach the front door
• Always being turned away at the first step.

Kimberly Harmon
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Metaphor Line-by-Line PoemThe Highwayman

• The wind was a torrent of darkness among the
  gusty trees,
• The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy
  seas,
• The road was a ribbon of moonlight over the
  purple moor,
• And the highwayman came riding-riding-riding-
• The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn
  door.

Alfred Noyes (excerpt)
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Simile Line-by-Line ExampleDream Deferred

• What happens to a dream deferred?
• Does it dry up
• Like a raisin in the sun?
• Or fester like a sore-
• And then run?
• Does it stink like rotten meat?
• Or crust and sugar over-
• Like a syrupy sweet?
• Maybe it just sags like a heavy load.
• Or does it explode?

Langston Hughes
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Metaphor Poems

• Line-by-Line Metaphor
• Hate is a sore, festering and bubbling on the
  heart
• Hate is a single-leafed tree, its owner weak and
  alone
• Hate is a wilted rose, time has worn it from
  beauty to wretchedness
• Hate is a zit, ready to burst
• Hate is the Hulk, small when calm, huge and
  fierce when agitated
• Hate is a snake, it swallows its enemies whole
• Hate is a birthday party, it can take you by
  surprise
• Hate is a tree, it stands the test of time
• Hate is a rubber band, it will snap when pulled
  too hard
• Hate is a deadly disease, something you dont
  want to catch

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Metaphor Poems

• Extended Metaphor
• Hate is a zit
• Earned by debris, dirt, oil, grime
• Kicked into a face
• By a filthy world
• It begins beneath the surface
• Then pokes out its disgusting head
• Makes the face turn red
• And grows and grows
• Until finally
• It explodes

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AlliterationCafeteria Chaos

• The line lingers,
• My stomach growls.
• Tina topples her tray,
• And the whole place howls!
• Spinach spills!
• Pass the paper towels!
• Someone pings a pea,
• And the fifth grade teacher frowns!
• Whats likely at lunch?
• Everyone chomps and chows down!

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Limerick

• Formula Poem
• Humorous and often bawdy (inappropriate ?)
• 5 lines total
• Rhyme Scheme AABBA
• Beats-Lines 1, 2, 5 have 3 beats
• Lines 3-4 have 2 beats
• First line usually has the name of a place (often
  a fictional name made up to rhyme with the rest
  of the poem)

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Limerick
Examples
There was an Old Person whose habits,Induced him
to feed upon rabbitsWhen he'd eaten
eighteen,He turned perfectly green,Upon which
he relinquished those habits.
There was an Old Man with a beard,Who said, 'It
is just as I feared!Two Owls and a Hen,Four
Larks and a Wren,Have all built their nests in
my beard!'
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Onomatopoeia PoemWhat Some People Do
Shout and shoot and gargle, gasp, Gab and gag and
groan, Hem and haw and work the jaw, Grumble,
mumble, moan Beef and bellyache and bat, Say a
mouthful, squawk, That is what some people
do When they merely talk.

• Jibber, jabber, gabble, babble
• Cackle, clack, and prate,
• Twiddle, twaddle, mutter, stutter
• Utter, splutter, blate
• Chatter, patter, tattle, prattle,
• Chew the rag and crack,
• Spiel and spout and spit it out,
• Tell the world and quack
• Sniffle, snuffle, drawl and bawl,
• Snicker, snort, and snap,
• Bark and buzz and yap and yelp,
• Chin and chip and chat